


Like wind and flame

by CrystalNavy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Five Stages of Grief, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-14 01:39:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15377853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalNavy/pseuds/CrystalNavy
Summary: Five stages of grief in story form.





	1. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If she trained hard enough, he'll come back for her. So she'll do it, even if her body suffers as a result.

"You are killing yourself like this, you know." Hitetsu gave his young charge a stern glare

"I don't care." O-Tama was doing push-ups "If I manage to become an enchanting kunoichi, he'll return for me, and he'll take me with him as a member of his crew. That's why I have to work hard. I have to become to best. My body will listen to me. I'll become strong, stronger than anyone else, so he'll take me with him."

"But didn't that boy tell us that he is dead?"

"He is not dead." O-Tama insisted "Kind people like him can't die. They can't die. He'll return, and we'll sail the seas together."

And so O-Tama went to train some more. Hitetsu let out a resigned sigh.

-x-

"Say what?" Luffy's eyes widened

"She has been training her body more than usual these past few days. Ever since you broke the news that your brother passed away." Hitetsu repeated "She seems convinced that he'll come back if she becomes strong enough."

"But that's stupid." Luffy reasoned "The past is in the past. People should look to the future instead."

"I agree." Hitetsu nodded "But O-Tama is the one you should be trying to convince."

-x-

"You will return." O-Tama stared out of the window with dark eyes "You'll keep your promise once I keep mine. You will."

And as she left the room to train further, a familiar ghost observed her with sad eyes.


	2. Anger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some feelings need to be let out.

Hitetsu sighed. 

He found the remains of yet another plate inside the box that contained all the trash in the house.

He had an idea of who the culprit was, but......

But if Hitetsu were honest, he didn't want to confront this person.

Not yet anyway.

O-Tama appeared in the doorway, walking forward with several items she managed to purchase.

Quietly, she sat down and began weaving another kasa.

Hitetsu was no fool. He was also observant.

He noticed the way her fingers were shaking as she wove. Despite the hats being perfectly made, he still noticed.

"O-Tama." Hitetsu addressed her casually once she was done "Do you know what happened to all the plates that mysteriously vanished this month?"

O-Tama's gaze darkened.

She made her way to the cupboard and smashed another set of plates resting within, depositing their pitiful remains in the trash-box once again.

"I know you are angry at the world for taking Ace's life away." Hitetsu pointed out "But could you please channel your anger in less destructive fashion?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ......Fuck you, Bakazuki


	3. Bargaining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If only....

Hitetsu was concerned. Very concerned.

As he expected, O-Tama's training had done this to her.

Due to overexerting her own body and drinking contaminated water......she was bedridden with high-fever. Hitetsu's medical skills were meager at best, but there was someone that could help.

And with little luck, he located the person in question, and had gotten them to help her.

He watched as the doctor successfully lowered her temperature to the point she was lucid. A small hand seemed to be reaching out for somebody.

"You.....you are finally here.....Ace-niichan....." O-Tama whispered "Take me with you, as promised....."

"I am not Ace......I am Chopper." the doctor told her "I am a doctor in his brother's crew. Luffy talked about Ace a lot....."

"If only....If only I had died in his place....." a young voice mumbled

"No!" Chopper looked horrified "Don't think like that. Don't ever think like that. It's your fever talking, okay?"

"Okay....." O-Tama agreed, though it seemed half-hearted at best

"Good girl." Chopper placed a wet cloth against her forehead "I'll go and prepare some medicine for you. Soon, you'll be back on your feet, and I'll tell you more stories about Ace."

This seemed to do the trick, as a smile appeared on O-Tama's face, and she finally settled into her pillow.

-x-

As promised, O-Tama was finally back on her feet, and Chopper was there, waiting for her, with a bowl of hot soup prepared just for her.

"Now where should I begin?" Chopper mused as he watched her eat "How about the time where he fought a desert lizard in Alabasta and shamefully lost......?

And O-Tama listened with rapt attention as he retold the story to her. Once he was finished, he regaled her with several more, and she fell silent after the last one.

"So.....Scorpion-san told everyone he can't die and leave his family behind......." O-Tama mused

"That's what happened." Chopper nodded, having a pretty good idea where this was headed

"So then why did nii-sama die and leave me and brother Luffy behind?" O-Tama pointed out "He should've listened to Scorpion-san."

"That he should have." Chopper agreed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The actual quote was "Don't be absurd. I can't die and leave my adorable sons behind."


	4. Mourning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Strawhat Pirates demolish the factory in Kuri, prompting Kaido to come and try and exact vengeance upon them, by striking at the weakest spot in their armor. It's the beginning of an end for citizens of Kuri. For O-Tama. 
> 
> But O-Tama doesn't care. For her, the beginning of an end happened a long time ago, in another time and place. 
> 
> It happened at Marineford, the place where the man who had shown kindness to her and other Kuri citizens had met his end.

O-Tama stood in front of the window, watching as Kaido made his way towards the village she was born in. 

Her mouth ran dry. Every ounce of her screamed for her to run away, to escape this place before Kaido got here. But her body wouldn't listen to her.

Or was it her own heart that refused to listen to her?

Hitetsu tried to convince her to go before Kaido reached their place of residence, but O-Tama brushed him off, watching with morbid fascination as Kaido drew ever closer.

Watched as Strawhats tried to impede him, for her sake, and for the sake of Kuri.

But they could do nothing against the massive man, a man who couldn't die......

Kaido couldn't die. Not from various suicides he attempted. Not from death blows his enemies gave him.

And not from execution.

O-Tama's morbid curiosity grew.

Kaido couldn't die.

Why couldn't Kaido die?

If she found that out, there was hope that she could use that knowledge to reverse the death that had destroyed her entire world.....

Even if she knew deep down that her hope was in vain, her morbid curiosity remained.

And suddenly, she didn't see Kaido.

Rather, Kaido had shrunk and......

And the person she saw in his place.......

Was the person who gave her hope.

She resisted the urge to run into his arms like a lonely girl she used to be. 

She knew this wasn't real, that it was some trick played by some cruel God.

Taking the deepest parts of her psyche, and bringing them out to trick her into believing that an enemy was a friend.

"Come to me, O-Tama." Ace's sickeningly sweet voice whispered

And O-Tama turned around, away from the window.

She knew that if she kept looking, she'll give in to her feelings and become an easy prey for Kaido.

She listened to the sounds of battle unfolding, a battle that signified the beginning of an end for Kuri and for O-Tama herself.

But she didn't care.

She let out another shuddering breath.

She had realized.

That for her, the beginning of an end happened in another place in another time.

It happened at Marineford.

The place where the person who had shown kindness to her and other Kuri villagers had met his end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :(


	5. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now you can fly, now you can soar  
> So high above this world where troubles are no more  
> This love of ours will never die  
> So let your soul go to heaven on the wings of a butterfly  
> One day we'll meet again in heaven and we'll fly like that butterfly

Apparently, the wound Kaido had given her had been fatal, and she was now lying in bed, waiting to pass on into the afterlife.

Strawhats weren't here at the moment, and neither was her Master.

But there was someone with her nonetheless.

"What were you thinking?" a gentle, but calloused hand ruffled her hair, repeating the gesture from three years ago, as a gentle voice reprimanded her "It's not your time to join me yet. You are way too young, and have your whole life ahead of you."

"You had your whole life in front of you too." she retorted "You can't just barge into my world and turn it upside down with your gentle nature and then just vanish from it in the most heartbreaking manner possible."

"I am sorry."

"Oh? Well, sorry ain't gonna cut it. You have no idea what you've done to me, do you?" O-Tama looked at her idol "You gave me a dream, a dream to get stronger so I'd get to join the Spade Pirates. Not only did you switch crews, but you had to die, to die without keeping your promise to me.....Not to mention you also broke the promise to brother Luffy, the one where you promised him you wouldn't die....."

There was silence, before O-Tama spoke again.

"And now, now that I get to join you at long last, you deny me again....." O-Tama whispered

The ghost moved closer to her, guilt evident on his features, as he wrapped his translucent arms around her small body.

And in the morning, Chopper found her dead body sprawled on the bed.

Two ghosts watched Chopper as he went out to break the news to everyone else.

"That's one of my little brother's nakama." Ace whispered "I knew I left him in good hands."

O-Tama, who was lying against his lap, giggled.

"And I am your nakama now, brother Ace." O-Tama smiled "Let's go prank brother Thatch."

"Oh, I've got a few ideas." Ace flashed an evil grin.

And as O-Tama and Ace vanished, in another realm, Thatch, who was in company of Whitebeard, felt a shiver run down his spine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A happy ending!
> 
> Kinda.

**Author's Note:**

> Just something that popped into my head when I've read the latest chapter.


End file.
